- The move follows a court ruling that declared its dozens of live satellites (which are free to enter) to be unlawful gambling.
- “The Winamax Poker Tour, as you’ve known it, as you liked it, with its great live festive stages and friendly gathering thousands of fans throughout France, is history.”
French online poker operator Winamax has announced that its upcoming Winamax Poker Tour (WiPT) will take place entirely online. It follows a court ruling that its dozens of live satellites, which are free to enter, nevertheless constitute unlawful gambling.
The case was brought by a consortium of French casino operators that claimed Winamax’s two gaming licenses pertained only to online, and that the company was forbidden from organizing live poker tournaments, claiming that such games constituted running illegal gambling houses, and that doing so resulted in financial damage to the casinos.
“Let’s immediately answer the most pressing question that many of you have been asking for a few weeks: no, the Winamax Poker Tour, as you’ve known it, as you liked it, with its great live festive stages and friendly gathering thousands of fans throughout France, is history. At least least for now,” the operator stated in a blog post published this week.
According to the operator, the company had spent months putting together the new season, with live venues booked, hotel rooms reserved and service providers and partners organized. However, a court of appeals decision in May put a stop to all plans. The events will now take place entirely online on Winamax.FR and, presumably, Winamax.ES, its new Spanish-licensed site.
Winamax’s other live events, including its regular Dublin event and the Marrakesh SISMIX event, are not thought to be impacted by the decision.
